Oregon Ducks wide receiver Tez Johnson continues to garner attention as one of the best players in college football. Pro Football Focus recently named Johnson one of the top 10 wide receivers to return for the 2024 season, ranking him No. 4. This follows Johnson's huge success in 2023, when he became a Duck senior.
In 2023, he teamed up with former Duck quarterback (and first-round draft pick of the Denver Broncos) Bo Nix and put up incredible numbers. Overall, the Ducks had a passing and scoring offense that ranked second in the nation.
Individually, Johnson set Oregon's single-season receptions record with 86 receptions in his first year with the Ducks. He recorded his 1,182 receiving yards, the third-most in a single-season history in UO history, and scored 10 touchdowns. He is one of 11 players in the nation to reach 1,000 receiving yards and double-digit touchdown catches, including former Duck Troy Franklin.
According to PFF, Johnson is already one of the best receivers in the country. His 89.9 grade last season trailed only Marvin Harrison Jr. among all FBS receivers.
If these numbers aren't enough to support your ranking, consider digging deeper into his performance. Johnson was the Power Five's best receiver with 727 yards after the catch and fifth with 278 yards after contact. Also, he achieved his 93.4 percent open target rate, ranking in his 99th percentile among FBS receivers.
With such a strong resume, Johnson's decision to return to Oregon State for another year was a bit of a surprise. His focus is on improving on last year's results.
“We just have to stay the course and believe in our coach.” [Dan] I think Lanning is the greatest coach of all time. He knows what buttons to press to give us a little more power in our daily competition. We have to trust the process,” Johnson said. “I think we're going to have a lot of power in the playoffs and some really good teams coming in and really challenging for the next championship game. There's going to be a team that makes an impact, and that's going to be us next year.”
Now, Johnson is teaming up with transfer quarterback Dillon Gabriel to continue the tradition of a strong passing attack that could surprise some teams in the Big Ten. But don't get me wrong. Johnson is probably one of the most dangerous pass catchers in all of his FBS, and he's on a mission to prove just that.
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